A Devon hotel which recently underwent a multi-million pound makeover has just been handed four-star status by the AA.

Brend Hotel's Park Hotel in Barnstaple scooped the prestigious ranking after enhancing its facilities and bringing an "elegant contemporary new look" to the hotel.

It is the family-run businesses second four-star hotel in the North Devon town, with the nearby Imperial Hotel boasting four stars since 1999.

The ambitious refurbishment has seen the creation of luxurious new rooms, landscaped gardens and a "sophisticated" new bar and brasserie.

Brend Hotels Managing Director John Brend said: “As a family business, our philosophy has always been to keep improving our hotels to their full potential.

Staff at the Park Hotel in Barnstaple celebrate their new four star status

"The redevelopment of The Park is one of the most ambitious development programmes we have ever undertaken and we are thrilled that the AA have recognised our achievement by awarding the hotel 4 stars.

“Barnstaple is a fantastic destination in its own right but also an ideal base from which to explore the whole of North Devon. These new quality facilities will act as a magnet for the region.

"The new hotel design has been inspired by the ambience of top luxury hotels in Mayfair and Manhattan and we are really excited to bring this new dimension to the West Country.”

The Park Hotel in Barnstaple

Guests at The Park now have the benefit of high speed WiFi, electronic check in and a new lift.

The luxury bedrooms are all equipped with state of the art air conditioning, laptop safes, 40-inch Smart TV’s with Sky, power showers, smartphone entry and the latest in-room technology.

"We are delighted to see people coming here for drinks after work, mums with young children meeting up over morning coffee, couples coming for cocktails or a relaxed meal in great surroundings. The place is buzzing.”

The Brend Hotel Group was founded by Percy Brend in 1955 and has remained a family business ever since, going on to become one of the top 12 employers in the South West, employing over 1,300 people.

In October 2015, Brend was named Hotel Group of the Year for 2015-16 in the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards, beating off stiff competition from other hotel groups across the UK.

The Park Hotel in Barnstaple

The Park Hotel was built by the Brend family and opened in 1970. It was originally called The North Devon Motel.

In 1988, this motel was extended by the purchase of two adjacent properties, Drake House and Fortecsue House. A year later, following major refurbishments, it was renamed The Park Hotel. and is now the headquarters of the Brend Hotels group.